A Lover's Lament
by Lateral Ganon
Summary: One-shot. Ganon had invited Laura to a ball held in honour of the patron saint of love, but as she gets ready for the big dance, a letter thought lost thirty years ago appears on the window-ledge, threatening to tear them apart. Rated T cos I always do.


If you are a first time reader of my work, some of the numbers may not seem to add up properly. They are accurate, and those more familiar with my two favourite protagonists won't have a problem. This is an Eonshipping, even though it doesn't specifically tell you they are the Eons otherwise.

Just another note whilst I think of it. If Pokemon Movie 11 features a 'wedding' between Palkia and Dialga, and Giratina comes in to gatecrash and steals Palkia away, I had the idea first. It's just by the time the similar scene appears in SitN, movie 11 will have long since been worldwide. That's not really a spoiler for SitN, but when a wedding does eventually turn up in it, you can't say I copied the idea from Movie 11.

Enjoy. At least it's not AAML drabble.

_Lateral Ganon._

# # #** Chapter Specific Notes** # # #

_Italics are thoughts, although I only use it once I think._

**Bold type is the letter.**

I assume that when Eon's transform into humans, they can choose their clothing as they transform. Laura won't actually take a dress, she'll mimic it's design. It's like that room in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew where Ash and co borrow fancy dress for a ball.

* * *

**A Lover's Lament**

A beautiful seventeen year old girl with flowing red hair spun across a private dressing room holding a dress to her front, admiring the reflection in the mirror of a vanity. A Swampert was grooming its fine fur in another vanity across the room. The Pokemon looked over at her through the mirror and scowled.

"You're going to make me barf if you keep spinning around like that." The Swampert called over. The girl smirked and spun around again.

"Then don't look." She said, before twirling the dress again experimentally. She looked at herself in the mirror again, and frowned.

"This doesn't suit me does it?" She asked, holding the dress to one side of her again. The Swampert looked at it critically.

"No… green doesn't suit your hair." The Swampert said. The girl moved over to a wardrobe that took up one wall, and rifled through it briefly.

"What about this one?" She asked, holding up a lilac gown. The Swampert grimaced.

"Laura… never wear purple and yellow together." She said, gesturing to Laura's face. Her brilliant amber eyes made the dress look shabby. She wandered back into wardrobe and sighed. She sat down on a stool and held her head in her hands.

"This is just annoying. I can't find anything."

"What about your customary red?" The Swampert asked. Laura looked up.

"Maria…"

"Think about it. You'll both want this night to be fun and memorable, so going in something you're not comfortable with is a definite no-no."

"But I want to show Ganon something new. He'll be making every effort to look good for me."

"I can assure you he'll be wearing his blues." Maria said, turning back to the mirror, "He knows you love them, and he won't settle for anything less than perfect for you."

Laura blushed, and looked out the window. The Swampert continued.

"You have been dead for the best part of ten years you know." She said. Laura growled at her.

"Yeah but-"

"That's a lot of time he wants to make up to you. You forget how much you mean to him. Just go in your reds. Simply seeing you is a treat for him, and you look best in red."

Laura looked at herself in her mirror, and sighed.

"Well… I still want to surprise him."

Maria looked around the room in earnest, hoping to find some flash of inspiration. When none came though, she continued with grooming her fur.

"If it's any help, I'm going to be making this a wonderful night for Martin too. I've bought a new bow." She held up a small pink bow with a crystal Pokeball in the centre, "He'll love it."

Laura looked at the Mudfish sadly. It was much easier for her to prepare for this ball than for herself. Maria could go effectively naked, whilst she had to dress up.

"You lucky girl." She said resentfully. Maria flicked the edge of her tail to straighten it up. She looked over at Laura calmly.

"He's going to dance with someone else if you take too long."

Laura looked at the Mudfish in fear. She ran over to the window, and flung it open to scream into the night air.

CRUNCH!

Laura looked at the glass in shock to see if it had cracked from the force of the impact, although when she looked, she saw it wasn't the window that had made the crunching noise. Trapped between the pane and the stone of the window-space was a postal Pidgey, a letter tied to its foot. Laura closed the window enough to let the bird out, before it fluttered into the room. It looked understandably out of breath.

"Which… one of you… is Laura?" The Pidgey asked, clutching at its chest and wheezing heavily. The Mud Fish pointed at Laura. The Pidgey hopped over to her, and pulled the letter off his foot. He handed the envelope to her, before hopping back onto the window sill, and out the window again. They both looked at the envelope the creature had given them. It was yellowed and looked frail, evidently very old. Maria broke the silence.

"Open it."

"What if I damage it?"

"Most people damage the envelope to open it. If it's something this old, it's probably important."

"So what do you think it is?"

"Treasure map? Your guess is as good as mine."

"Then I guess there's only one thing for it." Laura said, grasping the corner of the envelope and tearing it off. She unfolded the faded parchment, flattening it out on her own dresser. She gasped as she saw the handwriting, and immediately smothered it under an arm.

"Maria, could you leave me alone with this for a moment?" She asked politely. Maria thought it over for a few seconds.

"Well I'm ready for the ball. Come down when you're ready then." She said, walking out of the room and shutting the door behind her. Laura waited a few seconds to make sure she'd gone, before slowly uncovering the letter. The script was unmistakable.

_**Dear Laura,**_

_**I'm really sorry I missed your birthday. I made every effort to get there on time for you, but I got held up by someone interfering. I wish I could have been there, and it pains me that you missed my presence so much. Every second I knew I was missing, I fervently hoped you would be able to enjoy the party without me, rather than sacrifice your happiness to pine over me.**_

Her seventeenth birthday party. She'd invited all of her friends to it, but he was the only one that didn't turn up. He was the one that she had hoped the most would come.

_**Laura, just to let you know, there's a private ball coming up this Valentines day at the Royal Oapert Hall. I'd like to invite you to this dance as my guest, and I'd be delighted to be your escort for the evening. Naturally, you should feel angry at me inviting you to a party when I failed to attend yours, and I know I'd deserve it if you refused.**_

_**In the spirit of the season though, I have composed a little poem for you. I'm kind of nervous about actually writing it down, but here goes:**_

**_Roses are red,_**  
**_Violets are blue,_**  
**_Together are beautiful,_**  
**_But pale besides you._**

_**What I'm trying to say is… I love you Laura. Nothing will ever change the way I feel about you, even until my dying breath.**_

_**Ever since I first clapped eyes on you, I could tell that you were the one. Every word you said was music to my ears, and every movement tugged at my heart. It pained me whenever we were apart, but whenever I see you, I feel like every second of the agony is worth it. I promise every act I perform, every dream I conjure, every breath I take, will be for you. Please remember. Without you, I am but a shell washed up on some lonely beach, without purpose, without hope, and without a destiny. If I could have one wish, it would be for you.**_

Laura looked back down at the paper, oblivious to the smudges that were beginning to form as tears dropped from her face onto the withered manuscript.

_**For now and evermore yours,**_

_**Alexander.**_

The missing letter from Alexander. Thirty years later it had finally been found. She sobbed at the parchment, remembering the boy she had lost. A black haired boy of her age, who always enjoyed listening to whatever she had to say. Whenever she needed a shoulder to cry on, he was there. Whenever she needed help, he was there. His smile could light a fire in her heart from twenty paces, even if he rarely ever had anything to smile about. She looked down at the post-script.

_**P.S. I saw a photo from the party of the dress you wore. I must say, you look beautiful in red. Even a goddess couldn't carry that look like you did.

* * *

**_

Ganon was stood anxiously at the bottom of a flight of stairs leading up from the main ballroom. His spiky hair refused to be tamed by any hairbrush, and still looked like shrapnel, but his suit was splendid; a navy-blue set open at the front revealing a white waistcoat embellished with loops of gold thread. He checked his watch anxiously. Maria had come down about ten minutes ago, and was waltzing with Martin, albeit wincingly as he stepped on her feet several times. Moxis was waltzing with a Marill that had taken the cheating to a whole new level by standing on the Lucario's feet and moving with them. Her negligible weight meant that Moxis didn't notice. The song ended, and everyone applauded, before the band hit up another slow waltz. Moxis led the Marill over towards where Ganon was waiting by the staircase so he could talk.

"Ganon. Just give it a rest." Moxis muttered out of the corner of his mouth to him. Ganon shook his head.

"I shouldn't have-"

"If you say you pushed her too hard, I'll slap you. She wanted to come to this ball as much as any of us girls did. It's just because of you two masquerading as humans, it'll take longer for her to get ready."

"Yeah..." Ganon said, nodded slightly as he thought it over. The Marill continued.

"Or she could be trying to spare her feet from you standing on them." She offered helpfully. Ganon groaned.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Alicia (!)"

"Any time." She said unfazed, tugging at Moxis's arms to get him to dance away. He gave Ganon an apologetic look, before waltzing off with her. Ganon sighed and leant on the balustrade of the stairs. But time was dragging on, and it was apparent that she wasn't going to be coming down.

* * *

Laura peeked out of the entrance to the dressing room. After making sure there was no-one else in the corridor, she stepped out, lifting the hem of the gown to stop it catching on the floor.

* * *

Ganon had left the hall, and was now meandering around the gardens. It was a cold evening and the last remnants of the recent frost were still evident on the grasses around the pathway. Ahead was a tall wall of bushy hedges enclosing the garden, and to one side, just out of the way of the rest of the building, a small gazebo rested on a light outcrop of grass. He stepped into the shelter, and sat down on a low marble bench. It was cold to the touch, but he sat down none the less. He reached for a Pokeball on his belt, to bring out someone to talk to, but thought better of it. The last thing he needed was a Sneasel making a cutting quip that would demolish his already low morale. It had been hours since she'd first gone upstairs, and it just seemed as though she'd deserted him. 

"Guess it serves me right…" He muttered to himself, "I never visited the grave… Never visited the kids… I'm a shambles."

* * *

Laura looked down the stairs leading down to the main dance floor, looking around for Ganon. But she couldn't see hide or hair of him. And his spiky silver hair was pretty distinctive. She made her way down the stairs slowly, unnoticed by any of the dancers. She made her way over to a table by the edge where a lone Glaceon was sitting. 

"Melissa. Where's Ganon gone? Is he dancing with someone or-"

"You can call me Mel you know. It's just your husband that can't."

"Melissa… Where is he?" She asked earnestly. The Glaceon looked out the doorway at the end of the hall.

"He left a while ago when it looked like you weren't coming down."

"The gardens." Laura said to herself, nodding, "Thanks Melissa."

She stood up and curtsied to the Glaceon, which inclined its head back to her, before she lifted up the hem of the dress again and ran out of the doorway.

* * *

Ganon picked a small amber flower blooming in the border of the garden, and sat back on the bench. He twirled the flower between his finger and thumb, looking at it carefully. Even the night seemed to have turned against him as the air temperature plummeted. He looked up at the halls clock tower, and sighed. It was only half past ten in the evening, but it had felt so much longer. He sighed to himself, and looked up into the sky. So long ago, that was his home. 

_A lifetime ago._ He thought. He sighed and rested his head in his hands, willing the night to end.

* * *

Laura stood on the top step overlooking the garden, scouring the garden for any signs of life. The garden was periodically illuminated by fireworks flaring overhead, hearts and bells prevalent among the shapes, before they fizzled out into nothing. No sign whatsoever. 

"Ganon!" She shouted into the night. A blast of wind surged across the courtyard, the icy arms punching straight through her. She shivered and stepped out into the frigid air. She walked along a colonnade of conifers, each shaped point piercing into the sky above.

"Ganon!" She shouted again. Again she got no response, "GANON!"

The wind blew harder through the lawn, the night air raking at her exposed flesh like knives on butter. She gritted her teeth, but shuffled forwards through the storm.

Something whistled on the wind, and Ganon shrugged it off as a firework. Had he been paying attention, he would have recognised Laura's voice.

* * *

Laura stumbled as another blast of ice pelted through the garden, the gravel under her knees crunching as they hit. She looked up to see the last firework fading out, plunging the garden back into darkness. Something tapped lightly on her face, then another, and soon a multitude of the little drops as it started to hail. This wouldn't do. Neither of them could stand ice of any kind, so if Ganon had any sense, he'd have made his way to a shelter. She looked around and spotted a large Gazebo, obscured from view by hedges on most sides. She ran down the path, and stepped inside. At first glance, it was empty, but as she looked closer, she could see Ganon sitting in the shadows. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief. 

"I finally found you." She said to him, causing him to look up. She was pleasantly surprised when he gasped at her dress. It was a beautiful red gossamer gown, with a white ribbon adorned with silver threads tied around the waist, the ends trailing down behind her. The chest had a white pentagon down the middle.

"You… You…" Ganon stammered, causing Laura to laugh.

"You're speechless aren't you."

"You… you look absolutely divine." Ganon managed to say eventually, "That's the dress you made for your birthday party years ago, isn't it."

"It is."

"Beautiful."

Ganon moved aside on the bench to let her sit down. She smiled and sat down on the bench next to him. He laughed as she shivered, and took his jacket off for her. He wrapped it around her shoulders.

"The last thing we need is you freezing up out here." He said. She sighed forlornly, and looked at the floor.

"Roses are red, Violets are blue, together are beautiful…" She paused and watched Ganon. He looked at her in confusion.

"Pardon?"

"Finish it off. Roses are red, Violets are blue, together are beautiful-"

"But pale besides you." He answered. Laura beamed at him.

"So it's true."

"Excuse me?"

"He was just a copy of you then, just a bit more forwards." She said. Ganon looked up in recognition.

"Ah. Alexander."

They sat there together for a minutes watching the night outside. The hail was still drumming on the roof of the gazebo, but they were ignoring it. Laura broke the silence.

"Alexander is dead now of course." Ganon nodded.

"Technically yes." He said quietly. Laura huddled up closer to him.

"But I've still got you."

"And I'm not going anywhere." He answered her as she rested her head on his shoulder. She looked up into his face.

"You'd better not go anywhere."

He kissed the top of her head.

"Only as long as you're coming with me."

She sat up and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"To the ends of the earth."

Ganon pulled back slowly, and their eyes met. Her amber ones in his red, closing as their faces slowly came together in a harmonious kiss, their lips locked together in bliss.

* * *

So what did you think? Love it? Hate it? Want to hit it with a red hot poker? Put it in a review. 


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